No one knew what it felt like to have potentials locked into a body screaming for liberty.
Except you were in my shoes you can hardly understand what it felt like.
I was born very able, all my limbs working right. In the midst of odds I survived. I stopped breathing at birth for 20minutes but I miraclously came back to life.
My name Precious was chosen that minute I came back to life. The doctors were giving up on me but my parents were pleading that I should be checked again. Thank God I came back to life, else I would have been buried alive and helpless. I believe God had a plan for me.
I grew up like every other child, my parents noticed how inquisitive I was and this brought joy to them most especially My Dad.
I came back from school one afternoon, rushed in to show mum my awards from the inter-school debate I went for. I always make my parents proud. On getting to the living room I saw mum with Uncle Trevor in a very intimate position. They did not notice my presence I was surprised and could not say a word. All of a sudden I gathered strength from within and shouted "stop doing that!". They both stopped mum tried to put her clothes on. She started saying stop there Precious. I ran out of the house towards the road, mum ran after me. I did not check the road before crossing, a car knocked me down after which I lost consciousness.
I woke up in the hospital to my parents arguement. They were putting blames on each other for my accident. They stopped when they realized I was awake. Mum was apologising. Sorry Precious how do you feel now, she looked scared at thesame time. Dad just stood at the end of the bed with his eyes fixed on my legs. The Nurse came to check on me and gave me some medicines. I refused to look at mum in the eyes even though she looked very sad. I asked dad why he was staring at my legs. Although I noticed that I could not feel my legs or toes but I thought it was because of the accident.
I spent 6months at the Orthopedic hospital, I lost the function of my limbs in the accident. It was a very difficult time. I was only 10years. By age 11 I was confided to the wheelchairbecause of lack of funds. During my time at the hospital, I wrote poems and songs. I was lonely but dad always visit 3times daily. At first I wondered why mum would not visit. Although I told her not to visit without dad.
I Hate Mum!!!
On the day of my discharge from the hospital, mum did not come still, I asked dad what happened but he kept giving excuses. Then I told him what happened the day I had the accident. I told him I saw mum and Uncle Trevor and I was upset when I ran into the road. Unfortunately dad was driving the car that hit me. Dad could not believe me until we got home and saw the letter mum left behind.
The letter..
Hi Theo,
I can no longer cope with your condition as an infertile man. I know we have been together for 15years now. Although our marriage has been a success so far. We have a child who is now bound to a wheelchair. I cannot cope cheating on you which I have been doing for a year now. I am 6months pregnant with Trevor's(my work colleague) baby and we are moving out of the country to Canada. I wish you good luck with Precious please tell her I left because I could not cope.
Gloria
What a cruel woman mum was. Dad did not want me to read the letter but I begged him to let me read it. Although I was 11years but I understood every word of the letter mum left. I and Dad cried that day. Dad promised never to leave me.
I managed to write my secondary school entrance exams, also I entered for a scholarship exams hoping to pass.
Dad was very caring. He did all he could to get a maid to help me at home before and after school. Some of the maids were just there for the money they cared less about me. Dad came home one day to see chigozie(maid) fast asleep whilst I call for help from the room. That was the last day a maid was employed in our house. My grandma(dad's mum) had to come and stay with us so she could look after me whilst dad was at work.
Grandma became my mum, she was always there when I needed her. She taught me how to pray. She encouraged me, She noticed I loved writing poems, she encouraged me to write more and was ready to read them. One afternoon dad came home looking sad I knew sonething had gone wrong. He told us he was given a sack letter when he got to work that day. They did not give a reason.
For Two years dad was jobless, sometimes I was sent home from school because I owed school fees. When I was 13years I sat at home for a whole school year because dad did not have money for my fees. Grandma always take me to Church for prayer meetings it was there I gave my life to Christ during one of the church service. Dad started working as a driver for the church as well. I later went back to school having missed a whole year although I caught up with others. I had extra classes at home even grandma helps me at times with my studies because she used to be a Teacher before.
One day dad came home looking very happy you would have thought he won the Lottery. He started singing praises to God and we joined in. A company he sent application to 4years ago called him to see if he was still interested in the job, he went for the interview that morning that was why he left the house early because he had to walk there due to lack of transport money.
As he was still telling us about the job, his phone rang and it was from the company dad became so silent my heart was beating very fast. I just kept praying, grandma went on her knees and was praying to God.
After the phone conversation, dad bursted out in a hymn;
Great is thy Faithfullness oh Lord my Father, There is no shadow of turning with thee, thou changeth not thy compassion they fail not. Has thou has been thou forever will be.
I and grandma join in with the Chorus:
Great is thy faithfullness, great is thy faithfullness.Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed thy hand has provided, great is thy faithfullness Lord unto me.
Dad said the manager just told Him that the position he came for was already filled by another candidate who came for the interview but after further consideration, the company has decided that Dad go and take up the manageral position in their branch in Wales U.K. We were very happy but dad said he would only go if He is allowed to go with his family.
That night I dreamt of myself in a new Country, it was very cold but I looked happy until I saw my mum coming towards me and begging me to forgive her and wait for her she looked different then I woke up. I told grandma about the dream and she said it was because of the excitement of the goodnews of dad's new job offer.
The week that followed felt so long but was filled with Pleasant surprises. It made me believe my watchword which is Psalm 30:1, 5 NIV"I will exalt you, Lord ,for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. For his anger lasts only a moment,but his favor lasts a lifetime;weeping may stay for the night,but rejoicing comes in the morning".
God showed up when we least expect. Dad was allowed to go with his family. Within a month our story changed it was the Lord's doing.
Two weeks to the scheduled date for our relocation to U.K. I received a letter from a School I had written a scholarship exam, it was another success story. Coincidentally, the School was in Wales as well in U.K. I just sat for the exam out of curiousity. Grandma was overjoyed. Dad is her only child grandpa had died when dad was in University, all her labour is now becoming fruitful.
I was doing a countdown to the day I could not wait, Dad got me a new wheelchair, at first I was a bit skeptical on how people will relate to me because I was on the wheechair but the school prospectus showed that there will be provision for students with any type of disability. I can either stay in the school hostel or choose what suits me most. It's felt unreal, I kept pinching myself maybe I will wake up from the dream but it was REAL.
Our New Home...
I loved everything I saw but it was very cold, it was winter, the temperature was -6°C. It was not easy to cope with but we did cope. Grandma became my main Carer especially when dad had to work away from Home. After high School and college, I got admission to University to study Public Health and Medical Research. I made sure I chose a University Close to home because I know I will miss dad and grandma.
Alongside my studies I continued my poems and artworks. One day my friends Tanya and Selma came to my house to visit. After introducing them to grandma I took them to my room. It was opposite grandma's room in the Bungalow we lived in. Tanya was the first one to notice the painting frames hanging on the wall with poems describing the painting.She said she loved it and asked if I could get her some because her dad is into professional artwork. I told them it was my self taught skill but they didn't believe me..
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